Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour says anybody angry over Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell's proclamation in honor of Confederate History Month is making "a big deal out of something that doesn't amount to diddly." McDonnell, a Republican, has apologized for failing to mention slavery in his original proclamation, and added a paragraph saying the "abomination of slavery" led to the Civil War. But Barbour, also a Republican, told CNN on Sunday that there was no need to mention slavery, because everyone knows it was "a bad thing." Does Barbour have a point, or is he just making the situation worse for McDonnell? (Watch Haley Barbour's comments)
Barbour isn't doing McDonnell any favors: Bob McDonnell just wants this issue to fade away, says Rosalind Helderman in The Washington Post, and his friend Haley Barbour didn't help by rekindling the controversy. Barbour's main point was that this isn't a partisan issue in the South, because Mississippi's Democratic legislature has issued proclamations similar to McDonnell's for years. But this is a gift to the Democratic National Committee, which is demanding that the GOP condemn Barbour's remarks.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
